On March 1, 2022, Associate Policy Director Dominic Butchko submitted written testimony to the House Health and Government Operations Committee in support of HB 5 – State Government – State and Local Government Employees and Contractors – Cybersecurity Training with amendments. This bill preempts a county government’s decisions regarding cybersecurity training for employees. Amendments can bring the bill’s approach closer to a mutual framework for collaboration in order to advance the bill’s goals with more flexibility.

From the MACo testimony: 

County governments are established and complex employers and entities – something as critical as cybersecurity cannot be driven by one-size-fits-all policies. HB 5 overrides local autonomy on how best to implement cybersecurity training programs for their employees.

Counties all currently have thorough local cybersecurity training. Most of Maryland’s jurisdictions use the program “KnowB4” for cybersecurity training – which could be mandated to change should this bill be enacted. After speaking with the bill sponsor, MACo agrees with their intent, which would be to provide additional resources to local governments for cybersecurity training and not mandate what those trainings should be.

MACo will be testifying on the bill’s crossfile, SB 107, on March 3, 2022.

More on MACo’s Advocacy:

Follow MACo’s advocacy efforts during the 2022 legislative session on MACo’s Legislative Tracking Database.
Learn more about MACo’s 2022 Legislative Initiatives.
Read more General Assembly News on MACo’s Conduit Street blog.